Friday, June 20, 2008

Rand:Designs for Muslim World

Wow! What a report!

Beginning from the end of the article, “When the European nations began their long campaign to colonize and conquer the rest of the world for their own benefit, they brought their academic and missionary resources to help them with their task.”

This was the same pre-crusade tactic used by the European Kings, when they were threatened by the invading Arab Kings, they came out with a blue print to protect their kingdoms, that gave birth to the idea of Islamophobia:

1. To label the Invading Kings as Muslim, as that was one of the ways to get their subjects to stand behind them and fight for them.

2. To mis-translate the Qur'aan to inculcate animosity towards the invading people.

3. To paint the religion negatively and as a Mohammedan cult.

4. To reinforce this strategy they roped in the Pope to issue a fatwa approving crusades.

I am surprised at the ease with which Abdul Sattar Ghazali writes this “The recent summit, termed the ³Secular Islam Conference,² in St. Petersburg, Florida, almost coincided with the release of the latest Rand Report. A small group of self-proclaimed secular Muslims from North America and elsewhere gathered in St. Petersburg for what they billed a new global movement to correct the assumed wrongs of Islam and call for an ³Islamic Reformation.²”

“The report warned that moderate groups can lose credibility and therefore effectiveness if U.S. support is too obvious” It is not just US, funding by any government has a hook in it, if it is genuine goodness, it will pay off, but usually it is not.

I tend to agree with the statement “The report defines a moderate as a Muslim who supports democracy, gender equality, freedom of worship and opposition to terrorism.” I am glad it did not define like the Neocons, which is any Muslim who bashes Islam is a moderate Muslim to those shortsighted bigots.

These guys are always scheming and planning. If they just start living the live like the moderates, they can enjoy their lives too.

The semi-official U.S. think tank, Rand Corporation, suggests creation ofnetworks of the so-called moderate Muslims to promote US policy objectivesin the Muslim World.

In its latest report, Building Moderate Muslim Networks the Rand Corpadvocates that the building of moderate Muslim networks needs to become anexplicit goal of U.S. government policy, with an international database ofpartners and a well-designed plan.

Just as it fought the spread of communism during the Cold War, the UnitedStates must do more to develop and support networks of moderate Muslims whoare too often silenced by violent radical Islamists, according to the RandCorporation report issued on March 26, 2007.

The lead writer of the report, Angel Rabasa, says that the United States hasa critical role to play in aiding moderate Muslims, and can learn much fromthe way it addressed the spread of communism during the Cold War.

³The efforts of the United States and its allies to build free anddemocratic networks and institutions provided an organizational andideological counter force to communist groups seeking to come to powerthrough political groups, labor unions, youth and student organizations andother groups.²

The report defines a moderate as a Muslim who supports democracy, genderequality, freedom of worship and opposition to terrorism. This looks anamplification on its two previous reports - ³Civil Democratic Islam:Partners, Resources, and Strategies² (March 2004) and ³US strategy in theMuslim World after 9/11² (December 2004) - which also suggested supportingmoderate Muslims and exploitation of inter-Muslim religious differences.Interestingly, a novelist turned research scholar, Cheryl Benard, is theauthor of Civil Democratic Islam and co-author of the Dec. 2004 and March2007 reports.

In the December 2004 study, Rabasa had suggested to exploit Sunni, Shiiteand Arab, non-Arab divides to promote US policy objectives in the Muslimworld. Echoing this theme, the latest report recommends reaching out toMuslim activists, leaders and intellectuals in non-Arab countries such asTurkey as well as in Southeast Asia and Europe.

The report warned that moderate groups can lose credibilityand thereforeeffectivenessif U.S. support is too obvious. Effective tactics that workedduring the Cold War include having the groups led by credible individualsand having the United States maintain some distance from the organizationsit supports. ³This was done by not micro-managing the groups, but by givingthem enough autonomy,² Rabasa said. ³As long as certain guidelines were met,they were free to pursue their own activities.²

To help start this initiative, the report recommends working toward aninternational conference modeled in the Cold War-era Congress of CulturalFreedom, and then developing a standing organization to combat what itcalled radical Islamism.

The recent summit, termed the ³Secular Islam Conference,² in St. Petersburg,Florida, almost coincided with the release of the latest Rand Report. Asmall group of self-proclaimed secular Muslims from North America andelsewhere gathered in St. Petersburg for what they billed a new globalmovement to correct the assumed wrongs of Islam and call for an ³IslamicReformation.²

The St. Petersburg conference, held on the sidelines of the IntelligenceSummit, was carried live on (Islamophobe) Glenn Beck¹s CNN show. Some of theorganizers and speakers at the convention were well-known thanks to themedia spotlight: Irshad Manji, author of The Trouble With Islam, and AyaanHirsi Ali, the former Dutch parliamentarian and author of Infidel were but afew there claiming to have suffered personally at the hands of ³radical²Islam.

One participant, Wafa Sultan, declared on Glenn Beck¹s show that she doesn¹t³see any difference between radical Islam and regular Islam.² Otherparticipants were the now public ex-Muslim Ibn Warraq and self-proclaimedex-terrorist Tawfiq Hamid.

Surely, the ³moderate² Muslim agenda is promoted because these ideas reflecta Western vision for the future of Islam. Since the Sept. 11 attacks,everyone from high-ranking officials in the Bush administration toanti-Islam authors have prescribed a preferred remedy for Islam: reform thefaith.

The Rand Reports about Islam appear to be part of a grand strategy to³change the face of Islam² as revealed by US News and World Report on April15, 2005. The report entitled Hearts, Minds, and Dollars: In an Unseen Frontin the War on Terrorism, America is Spending MillionsŠTo Change the VeryFace of Islamreads: ³From military psychological-operations teams and CIAcovert operatives to openly-funded media and think tanks, Washington isplowing tens of millions of dollars into a campaign to influence not onlyMuslim societies but Islam itself.²

According to the well-planned leaks to US News and World Report, thisstrategy for the first time stated that the United States has a nationalsecurity interest in influencing what happens within Islam. The report alsoconfirmed that it is, in fact, the US which has been funding an Americanversion of Islam, called ³Moderate Islam.²

The Rand reports try to create a fictitious vision of Muslims and of Islam,where it is antihuman, uncreative, authoritarian, and intrinsically againstWestern societies. It is an ethnocentric view of Islam that dominatescurrent representations of Islam that are reductive, predominantly negative,and encouraging a culture of Islamophobia.

The complexities of the so-called fundamentalism and extremism in the past100 years or so, whether it be Christian, Hindu, Jewish or Muslim, need tobe understood in the context of modernization, the process ofsecularization, the changing nature of religious institutions, thepost-colonial experience in developing countries, globalization, the dividebetween wealthy and poor, contesting political power, and the impact oftotalitarian regimes on civil society.

What is not mentioned in the RAND reports is that the reason for thealienation of Muslims from the West is the ³double standards² the West sobrazenly practices when dealing with Muslim nations. America already has avery tarnished image in the Islamic world. It has already alienated a greatmajority of Muslims throughout the world through its misguided foreignpolicy. Who in their right mind will believe that this asinine assault onIslam and Muslims will win America friends in the Islamic world?

Now a word about the Washington-based semi-official think tankthe RANDCorporation. Among other government departments, the Rand Corp conductsstudies for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, theUnified Commands, the defense agencies, the Department of the Navy and theU.S. intelligence community. Obviously, writers of the three reports onIslam may be considered neo-Orientalists with clear intention to undermineIslam.

When the European nations began their long campaign to colonize and conquerthe rest of the world for their own benefit, they brought their academic andmissionary resources to help them with their task. Orientalists andmissionaries, whose ranks often overlapped, were the servants of animperialist government who was using their services as a way to subdue orweaken an enemy.

The academic study of the Oriental East by the Occidental West was oftenmotivated and often co-operated hand-in-hand with the imperialistic aims ofthe European colonial powers. The foundations of Orientalism were in themaxim ³Know thy enemy². This equally applies to the modern day Orientalistsof such semi-official think tanks as the Rand Corporation.

4 comments:

I am curious how Muslim sociologist and academics feel about the Muslim attacks on Constantinople beginning in the 700s and ending in 1453 with its fall to the Ottomans.

Is there an Islamic justification for this relentless attack on the capital of Eastern Orthodox Church and the converting of St. Sophia Church into a Mosque?

If Jihad is a doctrine of self defence, then how do we explain our zeal to attack the capital city of another religion that had no designs on the Ummayds or the Abbsids and themselves were victims of the Crusades?

I am all ears and open to suggestions that my questions are 'Randy' in nature.

Indeed the purpose of religion was to fix the human ailment of insecurity that made them want to subdue others to feel safe, upsetting an equilibrium. Religion taught that a just society is the cure of most ailments, Islam's focus was certainly a just society.

I would re-phrase the word "Muslim Attack", it was rather driven by greedy, insecure individual who happened to be a Muslim, and that was not really religion, although it was labeled as such. Just as Bin Laden, Bush, Cheney have done it. We cannot label their aggression and destruction of other nations and people as a "Christian attack".

The time has come to place the blame where it belongs - the individuals, who can be punished and justice be brought to prevail. Blaming a religion does not solve any problem nor does it bring justice. Things continue to hang out with that.

We need to re-write the history and blame the individuals, so we can maintain justice.

As Muslims we need to muster courage to acknowledge the mistakes Muslim individuals have made in the name of Islam and apologize. We also need to set the history right - blame individuals and not religion.

History has precedents - Queen of England has apologized to the Indians (and Pakistanis) for the Jalianwala Bagh massacre, Pope had made a similar acknowledgement about Holocaust, and apologies have been made to the native Indians.... we have to do our part.

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.

SACRED - THE FILM

ABOUT US

The role of Muslims is to contribute towards the well being of humanity, and to be the conflict mitigaters and goodwill nurturers. Our goal is a secure world for every human. Please read the mission statement.

This group is about Muslims and their civic responsibilities in creating a dignified religious, social and civic space for themselves in the community of faiths. We do not distinguish between a Sunni, Shia, Ahmadiyya, WD Muhammad, Ismaili, Bohra or the subsets of each group, all believe in God, the Prophet and the accountability of their actions and whoever calls himself or herself a Muslim is a Muslim to us. Currently we are blessed to have our Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Bahai, Sikh and Buddhist friends among us to learn and share their perspective. This is our world and our God collectively.

MEMBERSHIP SINCE 2003

World Muslim Congress is a think tank, all are welcome to participate in the discussions, our scope is limited and defined in our mission statement. Currently, we have 1800 Members world wide with no membership fee.

To join the group, send an email to: WorldMuslimCongress-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com

world Muslim Congress

ADDRESS

Mike Ghouse(214) 325-1916

World Muslim Congress

Washington, DC

WHAT WILL MUSLIMS DO WHILE QURAN IS BURNT

It is a purposeful positive event for Americans of different faiths, races, ethnicities and other uniqueness to come together to rededicate ourselves to our pledge; One nation under God with liberty and Justice for all. We will pray for peace, prosperity and security of our nation.

Last year the event focused on the positive response of Sikh community to the Wisconsin Shooting and this year, we will focus on the positive prayerful response of Muslim community to the planned Qur'an Burning by Pastor Terry Jones in Mulberry, Florida.

Click on pictures to see larger version of the photo

RSVP- ConfirmAttendance@gmail.comContact information - at the bottomPROGRAM DETAILSPictures indicate for visualization of the program as was done in Dallas, Texas We honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution, and have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to prevail for the common good of the world. We hope, our mercy based message will remind those few Muslims elsewhere in the world that violence is not the way. We believe it may bring a change in the attitudes of followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety.

Please join us for a life changing event, you will fall in love with the idea that all of us Americans will come together as Americans and nothing but Americans. While we have our identity, we look to each other as American and rededicate ourselves to our pledge; one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

You will be a part of history in creating a model behavior in dealing with conflicts and building a cohesive America, where no American has to live in apprehension or fear of the other.The 10th Annual event is moved to Mulberry, Florida - for a singular purpose - to mitigate possible apprehensions generated by the planned burning of 2998 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013. We hope the event restores our faith in the cohesiveness of America, and we the people will go on about our business of living our daily lives.The full press release: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html

WE WILL GATHER;

to be together as Americans

to express our gratitude to our men and women in uniform

to honor individuals who have contributed to the well being of Mulberry, Florida

to emphasize and appreciate diversity represented by America.

to cherish the otherness of others.

to commit to be good neighbors

to rededicate our pledge to the peace, prosperity and security of America

Please join us with your family and friends to be together as Americans. Your presence is a valuable expression of unity. Along with our elected officials, civic, religious and business leaders, you help fulfill our common values and aspirations. Your presence fortifies our commitment to a pluralistic America.

As Americans, and as American of all hues, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution. All our faiths reinforce the creed of "One Nation under God, with liberty and justice for all”.

On this Unity Day USA, we, the people of the United States of America of every faith, race and ethnicity, will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, safety, prosperity and the well being of our nation.

PROGRAM: FLAG CEREMONY

NATIONAL ANTHEM

(Preferably joined in by members of at least 7 faith traditions, if not all)

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

To be led by the Hon. Mayor George Hatch of Mulberry

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgement of dignitaries- Suzanne

Thanking key volunteers - Curtis

Thanking the Media- Butch

Appreciating the sponsors - Lynn

PURPOSE

Purpose - a new positive approach to conflict mitigation and rededicating to our pledge – one nation under God with Liberty and Justice for all- Mike

Mayors, Police and Fire chiefs, and Civic Leaders to share 3 minutes each – about their responsibility in treating each citizen with respect and dignity

HONORING THE ACTIVISTS

Those who have stood up for others

SPIRITUAL LEADERS

All-inclusive spiritual leaders will be on stage representing each tradition, and lighting a candle of the next, a symbolic gesture to be the light to others. Every available religious American representation in Polk County will be accommodated. This is not about sermons but about being together as Americans. Please beware, it is about Americans and included in the group will be Atheists, Pagans and other non-religious traditions.

PEACE PLEDGE

I will I will speak up when there is injustice.

I will speak up when truth is not spoken.

I will make my words and my actions mitigate conflicts.

I will do my share in nurturing goodwill for the benefit of all.

I will do my share of peace work, without looking for others

I will do respect the God given uniqueness of each individual.

I will do my best to live and let others live their way.

I will do my best to nurture goodwill in everything I do.

SPECIAL MUSLIM PRAYER

( 3-4 Minutes)Muslim prayers and supplication for the safety and security and unity of our nation. Pray for the well being of all Americans, and seek forgiveness for all of us, and may God guide Reverend Terry Jones to become a be blessed peace maker. Pray for the goodwill of the people of Polk county and Mulberry City, and pray for a cohesive America, where no American needs to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear or fellow Americans.

Please donate to defray the costs. All donors over $100 will be listed on this site. If one or two individuals want to sponsor, we would really welcome it. It will save us time. Donate athttp://americatogetherfoundation.com/donate/ MESSAGES - PRESS RELEASES

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.